A new version of the learning tool OS MikeOS is available, sporting a new BASIC interpreter with 24 instructions. You can run BASIC code from inside the text editor by pressing F8. See the App Developer Handbook for a guide to the BASIC dialect (somewhat similar to old 8-bit BASICs, nostalgia fans), and the User Handbook for info on running MikeOS from a USB key, floppy or CD.

"I find this extremely simple BASIC variant to be a bit disappointing, especially given the fact that it takes up 32KB!"

1) The MikeOS kernel has 32K RAM of allocated, and the kernel binary itself is 13K. The BASIC interpreter is just over 2K (2295 bytes).

2) QuickBASIC and GW BASIC were commercial products developed by paid developers. MikeOS is a one-man part-time hobby project that's given away for free. There's bound to be a big difference in functionality!

Ok, 2K is better, although it's still a bit on the large side for such a simple BASIC.

I could make it considerably smaller. I could remove the variety of error messages and replace them with a single "Syntax error". I could do some hackish stuff with the code to ultra-optimise it.

But you have to remember that MikeOS is a learning tool, so code clarity and structure is always more important than shaving bytes off at every opportunity. I'm writing something that people can (hopefully!) learn from - not trying to wow people with l33t asm skillz.